Playful Smythson campaign captures eclectic spirit of London

A progressive, out-there style ethos is celebrated on the catwalks and beyond. And now a very British brand has chosen to spotlight the capital’s unique taste for the individual.

Iconic lifestyle label Smythson puts an effervescent spin on London’s relentless appetite for life with its first ever campaign film.

Journey to the Wild Side is a creative short starring Australian actress Phoebe Tonkin and Rhys Ifans.

The brainchild of screenwriter and director Sophie Edelstein, it follows a tourist (Tonkin) looking to find Buckingham Palace. Instead, she is waylaid by a cast of colourful characters, as a series of fantastical sequences play out across London.

An elephant flanked by dancers in Piccadilly... just your average day in London

The film features three animals, brought to life by Freefolk animations, each of whom encapsulate a particularly British trait.

Following the twists and turns of London alleyways, Tonkin is swept up in evermore wild and wonderful encounters. Each moment transcends the wonderment of travel, for a production that is infectiously fun.

Just as Smythson is a heritage brand (established in 1887) with a modern twist, so the film brings contemporary exuberance to capital’s rich traditional landscape.

Smythson is known for its luxury leather handbags and exquisite stationery, and famously employed fashion designer and former PM’s wife, Samantha Cameron, as creative director. Cameron left the role in 2010, when her husband was voted into office.